Hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, are commonly obtained from subterranean formations that may be located onshore or offshore. The development of subterranean operations and the processes involved in removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation typically include a number of different steps such as, for example, drilling a wellbore at a desired well site, treating the wellbore to optimize production of hydrocarbons, and performing the necessary steps to produce and process the hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.
In some subterranean formations, the hydrocarbons are difficult to recover because they are trapped in shale or because the hydrocarbons are not very viscous, e.g., where the hydrocarbons are in the form of tar. In such formations, the formation needs to be treated to make the hydrocarbons more viscous so that they can be produced to the surface. One such technique is to inject steam into the formation to make the hydrocarbons more viscous.
One way of doing this is to drill two horizontal wells into the formation with one well drilled above the other well. Steam is injected into the top well and allowed to permeate through the formation. The hydrocarbons which have become more viscous due to their exposure to the steam are then produced through the bottom well. This technique is commonly known as the Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) method.
Another way of injecting steam into the formation to make the hydrocarbons more viscous is to inject the steam into the formation through a single well. With this technique, the steam may be injected into the formation for long periods of time, for example, six months. Then, once the hydrocarbons have reached a certain viscosity, they are produced through the same well. This technique is known as a Huff & Puff well and used in Canada and other places were tar sands are prevalent. The advantage of a Huff & Puff well is that only one well needs to be drilled.
The present disclosure is directed to an improved device and method for enhancing production from Huff & Puff wells, although as those of ordinary skill appreciate other applications of the device and method disclosed herein may exist.